Villagers from traditional authorities Msakambewa and Mkukula are the majority of those who received the bad food packed in government labeled sacks through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs-DODMA.

Angry at the discovery, the villagers returned the maize to Nachisaka Extension Planning Area offices on Sunday as they said the maize was just not consumable.

Village headman Kabwabwa under T/A Msakambewa described this as mockery.

"This is very disappointing, the food that we have received cannot be eaten by human beings. We are going to Nachisaka EPA to return the maize," Kabwabwa said.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Consultative Committee chairperson, Robert Mkwezalamba, says it is “unfortunate” on the part of government that this happened in Dowa district. 

"We are urging government to compensate the villagers for giving them bad maize," he said. 

Meanwhile, the DODMA says is investigating the reports and what could have led to this.

"Very soon we are sending a fresh consignment of maize to Dowa to replace the rotten maize," said DODMA spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula.

According to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee-MVAC-, the country has around a million citizens who are food insecure this year.